Long Way From Home
by Frost Hobbit
Summary: Abigail Jordan gets in over her head when she tries to con Jack Harkness. Her best friend disappears the same day, and Abigail must join forces with Jack, Rose, and the Doctor himself in order to find him, discovering herself along the way.


**A/N Yes, I have a new fandom and a new OC. I'm sadly addicted to them. Anywho, I'm fairly new to Doctor Who so I'd really appreciate some feedback! This is set during the first season, so we're dealing with Nine, and it's during/around the episode Boom Town. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: If I owned Doctor Who, there would be so much Jack Harkness around we wouldn't be able to handle the awesome.**

**Chapter One**

_My name is Abigail Jordan. I was twenty-two years old when my life started to change. Before that I was as ordinary a girl as you could have expected, given the circumstances._

_This is the story of how I met the people who shaped me into who I am. Some of it deals with a girl called Rose. A bit more of it deals with how I lost my best friend and had to find him again. A lot of it has to do with an extraordinary man named Jack Harkness. But at the heart of my story is the man I've only ever known as the Doctor. It's a name that suits him; I wouldn't call him anything else. _

_So this is it. This is the story of how I left home, fell in love, lost my place, and found it again. To be forewarned, it's not always a happy story. There are parts of this that I'm ashamed to recount. Parts of it where I'm shown in a very bad light. Parts where I was reckless and parts where I was foolish. It would be easy enough to leave these parts out, but I want to tell my story. All of it. So I promise you that everything from here on out is true. _

xxx

The sun was shining, but the day was chilly enough that Abigail shivered as the wind blew, and buttoned her gray coat. She leaned against the railing of the rooftop and looked down at the street below. Cars, people, buildings, a blue box she'd never noticed before…. Even the blue box didn't hold Abigail's attention for long and she turned her gaze from the street to the young man walking up to her, her childhood friend Carl.

"Hello, Abigail." Carl hopped up and sat on the railing. "Thought I might find you here."

Abigail smiled and looked up at him. "You know me that well, don't you?"

"I do," Carl said. "What are you doing up here today, then?"

"Makin' a living." Abigail grasped the railing and leaned backward, tilting her face to the sky.

Carl's mouth dropped open in exasperation. "C'mon, Abby, don't tell me you're still stealing."

"I won't tell you." With a small smile, she patted Carl on the shoulder and went to the fire escape to make her way down to the street.

She jumped down the last step of the fire escape and her feet hit the pavement hard. With a grin, she tilted her head upward and waved to Carl, who was still peering down from atop the apartment building.

Abigail walked down the sidewalk by herself, her sharp eyes taking in everyone and everything. She'd been in Cardiff long enough that she could usually pick out the native Cardiff-dwellers and out-of-towners passing through.

There was a group of people walking a couple yards in front of her – three men and a young blonde woman. The blonde was chatting animatedly with one of the men, the one who appeared to be closest to her own age. Abigail carefully picked her way closer to them to hear what she was saying.

"And now we've just got to wait for the TARDIS to be operational again, and then we'll be off, but since we are in Cardiff for at least a day I thought I ought to call you anyway, Mickey," the blonde was saying. "It _is_ good to see you."

"Yeah, you too," the man called Mickey replied, slightly less enthusiastically than the girl. He and the girl were obviously from London originally, just like Abigail.

"It'll be good to spend some time together, the four of us, don't you think?" The girl directed her question to the two older men.

"Of course," said one of the men, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. "I'm always happy to spend time with Mickey the idiot."

"Hey," the girl said, placing her hand on his arm. "Be nice, Doctor. Please."

"I am being nice, Rose," he protested with a grin. "When have I ever been rude to Ricky?"

"Oh, shut up," muttered Mickey.

"I'll keep an eye on him for you, Rose," laughed the third man. Abigail smirked at his American accent.

"Pretty far from home, the four of you," she murmured to herself as she allowed a few people to separate her from the group.

Carefully she made her way past them and positioned herself on the stairs next to the restaurant they seemed to be aiming for. She put her hand inside her coat and pulled out the stone she'd found a few days previously – a shiny purple rock, while an almost diamond-like quality to it. She turned it over in her hands, pretending to study it carefully.

"What's that you've got there?" It was the American man she'd noticed earlier, peering over her shoulder with interest.

Abigail acted surprised. "This?" She shrugged. "Nothin'. Just a pretty rock I found. Thought I might sell it to one of the kids on the floor below me, he collects rocks."

"Looks like a bloody diamond," said the man called Mickey, approaching them in disbelief.

"A diamond!" Abigail feigned shock. "But – it's purple!"

"Well, they're rare, but they exist." Mickey shrugged. The blonde girl and the other man had disappeared, presumably into the restaurant.

"A diamond." Abigail paused long enough to give the appearance that she was mulling it over. "Listen," she said, beckoning the men closer. "I didn't even know what this was, okay? I'm just trying to make a little money to scrape by until I get a job. So I'll sell it to you for really cheap, okay? One hundred quid." She shrugged. "I dunno. You could sell it off yourself, make a profit, set it in a ring for your girlfriend…."

The man whose name she didn't know stared at her for a moment, looked at the rock, then laughed. "What's your name?"

Abigail was taken aback. "Er – Lily."

"Lily, huh? Sticking to that?" The man smirked. "First rule you need to learn, Lily – when you're trying to con someone, make sure they're not a con man." He laughed at Abigail's shocked expression.

"What?" Mickey said, looking from Abigail to his companion and back again.

"She knows perfectly well that's no diamond," the man said. "And she knew perfectly well that some idiot would come along and mistake it for one." Mickey opened his mouth to protest, and the man held up his hand. "No offense or anything, but you're probably lucky you've got your looks." He looked back at Abigail. "Actually, I guess it's not that much of a stretch, because that's not a diamond, but it's no ordinary rock either. I guess you could say I'm a little bit of an expert here." He held out his hand. "Captain Jack Harkness."

Abigail shook his hand suspiciously. "Captain of what, the rock police?"

"Something like that," Jack said, continuing to smile at her.

"What d'you mean it's no ordinary rock?" Abigail asked.

"Well, uh – what did you say your name was again?"

"Abigail," she said without thinking.

Jack laughed triumphantly. "Thought we'd get there. Abigail's your real name, isn't it?"

"For all you know my real name is Zelda," Abigail said stubbornly. "Explain what you meant about the rock."

"I can't say anything for sure," Jack said seriously. "But why don't you let me take it and give me your number? I'll let you know if it's worth anything."

Abigail rolled her eyes. "Now, why would I do that? You've just told me you're a con man. First rule you need to learn, don't tell anyone you're a con man, then try to con them. Good bye, _Captain_." She tucked the rock back into her jacket and marched away with as much dignity as she could muster.

xxx

Abigail got back to the small apartment she shared with Carl and slid to the floor with a sigh.

"No luck, I take it?" Carl asked, sticking his head out of the kitchen.

Abigail shook her head. "He realized I was lying," she said, still surprised herself.

"He _realized_? Abigail!" Carl looked horrified. "What've you done now? He'll call the police and take you in! I'll get in trouble too! You live with me! What if they go through our flat?"

"Calm down, Carl, it's not that bad." She ran her hand through her hair. "No one's calling the police on me, I got the impression he just thought I was funny."

Carl snorted and went back into the kitchen. "You've got to be more careful, Abigail. If you don't want your mum to find out where you are then probably best to keep from being _arrested_."

Abigail followed him into the kitchen. "My mum probably doesn't really care where I am and besides that, I'm twenty-two – even if she did care, there's not much she can do about it. Are you working this afternoon?"

"Supposed to be," Carl grumbled. "Unfortunately, I've got a conflict. My nan's in town."

Abigail raised her eyebrows. "And you complain about me drawing attention to us?"

"Look, I'm not the one trying to get away from my family!" Carl said. "She's just visiting, all right? That does mean I've got to cancel for this afternoon, though…my boss'll be thrilled to hear that…"

"What if you send in a replacement?" Abigail asked, leaning against the counter.

Carl laughed. "What, you? You're joking."

"What?" she protested. "It can't be that hard! You go, you take pictures, you come home, no big deal!"

"Abigail, I'm a photographer for a _newspaper_," Carl said seriously. "One of the youngest who's ever been _hired_."

"All right, I get it, you're a brilliant man, but I'm a brilliant girl and I'm pretty sure I know how to take pictures," Abigail said, drawing herself to her full height. "Besides, backing out of your commitment without sending a replacement is worse than sending me."

"Maybe you're right." Carl chewed his lower lip and sighed before going to the hall closet to get his camera. "I'm going to regret this," he muttered as he hung the camera around Abigail's neck.

"Ooh!" Abigail clutched it with both hands. "It's _heavy_!"

"Don't make me change my mind," Carl said dangerously. He pressed something into her hand. "This is your press pass. You're taking photos of the mayor Margaret Blaine at her event today. Be polite, don't get in anyone's way!"

"God, you act like I don't know how to behave myself in public," Abigail said indignantly.

"Abby, you don't know how to behave yourself in public." Carl grasped her by the shoulders. "This is really important. Please, please don't mess this up."

"Carl, I'd never let you down. You know that," Abigail said.

Carl sighed. "Not on purpose, anyway." He squeezed her shoulders and lowered his hands. "Time for me to pick up Nan. I'll give my boss a call and make sure he knows you're going instead of me. You're expected at three o'clock. I'll see you tonight." He picked up his jacket and headed for the door.

xxx

City Hall was really no place for a thief, Abigail thought to herself. Everything was fancy and expensive, and a lot of it was small enough to slip into her shoulder bag. Carl's press pass had gotten her inside, no problem, which was a change for Abigail.

After taking photos for twenty minutes, Abigail got bored and began wandering around the building. She found herself staring at a vase longingly. It wasn't very big. No one would notice if it was gone, and it could earn her enough money to pay her half of the rent, because if she missed paying the rent once more Carl would kick her out, and she knew he wasn't kidding.

She picked up the vase, glanced around, and then placed it gently into her shoulder bag. Voices in the hallway made her jump, and Abigail ducked behind a curtain, fairly sure she was in a place the press weren't allowed.

"Go on, Rose, just do what Jack said and we'll catch up later," one of the voices, a man, said.

"All right, but where are you going?" Abigail furrowed her eyebrows. The voices sounded familiar.

"I thought I'd pay our old friend Margaret a visit," said the man cheerfully.

"All right," the girl said again. "Be careful, Doctor. I'll see you in a bit." Footsteps as the woman walked off. Then the curtain was yanked aside and Abigail jumped.

"Hello!" said a man in a leather jacket – the Northerner who had been with Jack Harkness earlier that day. He furrowed his brow. "Haven't I seen you before?"

"No," Abigail said quickly, stepping around him in a dignified way. "I was just leaving."

"You were hiding in the curtain, not leaving." He stuck his hands in his pockets and grinned at her.

"Yes, well…" Abigail trailed off. "It's a long story."

"Well, run along now, tell it to somebody else." He made a shooing motion with his hand, but something held Abigail back.

"Why did that girl tell you to be careful?" she asked curiously. "This is City Hall. Not remotely dangerous at all. This is the most boring job in the world, takin' pictures of this place."

"Ah, you people, always poking your noses into everything," the man said cheerfully. "Nothing to worry about. You'd best get back to your photography. Or your thieving. Whatever you're doing." He turned and began to walk down the hallway. Abigail followed him.

"I'm not a thief!" she said with as much indignation as she could muster.

"'Course you're not. Good bye!" he said.

"Why are you here?" she asked him.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," said the man.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"You're a persistent one, aren't you? I'm the Doctor," he said,

"The Doctor? Doctor who, then?" Abigail pressed him.

"Just the Doctor. Now run along."

"You can't expect me not to be curious now," she said, hurrying to keep up with the Doctor. "What wouldn't I believe? Corruption? Scandal? A heinous affair?"

"Something like that," the Doctor said, rolling his eyes. "Look, I'm a busy man, why don't you go and bother someone else with your questions. And mind you don't break the vase in your bag." He crinkled his nose. "For someone who tries stealing and conning people, you're really not very good at this, are you?"

It struck a nerve. "Excuse me, I resent that!" Abigail shouted at the Doctor's retreating back.

"So sorry!" he called over his shoulder. "Off you go!"

Abigail turned on her heel and marched away with dignity before making her way out of City Hall – where she almost immediately ran into Jack Harkness. "Rock police!" she yelped, jumping backward.

Jack grinned broadly. "Zelda!"

"It's Abigail, really," she said, shifting her bag carefully so the vase was in less danger of breaking. "Wait – you were with – you're with that man, the Doctor! What are you _doing_ here?"

Jack shrugged. "Nothing particularly interesting to you. And yourself? You've got a camera. Are you a photographer as well as a striving con artist?"

"No, I'm filling in for a friend – don't change the subject!" Abigail snapped. "I want to know what's going on – hey! Where are you going? _Jack_!"

For Jack had started running across the parking lot to where a stout woman Abigail recognized as the mayor Margaret Blaine was hurrying away as quickly as she could. The Doctor was chasing her, and was soon joined by the girl Rose and Mickey, who Abigail had met earlier. Abigail's mind raced and settled on one thought – they were trying to kidnap the mayor, and here she was, the only one who would possibly stop it.

"_Oi_!" she shouted intelligently, and began running after them. "Leave her alone! I'll call the police!"

"And while you're at it, let them know about the vase you've stolen!" the Doctor called over his shoulder at her.

"You stole a vase from City Hall?" asked Mickey, twisting his head around to look at her.

"I did not!" Abigail shouted as they all rounded a corner in time to see the mayor vanish into thin air. "What? What's happening? Where's she gone?"

"Nowhere," the Doctor said grimly, pulling a small device out of his pocket and pressing a button. Mayor Blaine reappeared running toward them. She paused, looked puzzled, and disappeared again. The Doctor repeated his action, Abigail looking on in astonishment. The mayor disappeared and reappeared a third time.

"I could do this all day," the Doctor said. The mayor clenched her jaw and looked furious.

Abigail turned to the person nearest her, who was Rose. "The mayor disappeared."

"Right," Rose said.

"And then he," she pointed to the Doctor, "made her reappear with his little – that little – "

"Sonic screwdriver," supplied Rose. "It happens. You get used to it."

Abigail stared at the four of them. "This is mad! This is impossible!"

"We get that a lot," said the Doctor. He tucked the screwdriver back into his coat and took the mayor by the arm. "Obviously we don't have time to explain right now – "

"You can't just go off and not explain this!" Abigail protested.

Jack put his hand on the Doctor's shoulder. "Doctor, I wouldn't mind taking Abigail back to the TARDIS and explaining a few things to her."

"You would like that, wouldn't you?" the Doctor said, giving Jack a look.

"Come on, Doctor!" Jack grinned. "You can't leave her hanging like this! Look at her. She's on the edge of her seat, tingling with anticipation…." He turned his grin to Abigail.

"Stop it," the Doctor said sternly. "All right, explain away, but not in the TARDIS, go somewhere else. I trust this little thief about as far as I could throw her."

xxx

Abigail ran her hands through her hair. "You know you're crazy." They were sitting on a bench next to a park where Abigail used to play as a small child, when her parents would take her to Cardiff.

"Probably." Jack grinned and crossed his arms.

"Aliens aren't _real_!" she said, almost pleadingly.

"Look, Abby," he said, placing his hand on her knee.

"Abigail," she corrected him.

"Sorry. Abigail. You don't have to believe me now, but I have a feeling the truth is going to come out sooner or later and you'd be better off knowing," Jack said. "I don't want to see you getting hurt because you're getting mixed up in something you know nothing about." He patted her knee gently.

"Well, I'm not getting mixed up in it," Abigail said, getting to her feet and placing Carl's camera back around her neck. "I'm going to go home, give my friend his camera back, then I will sell my vase and get some cash and forget everything you told me."

"I hope for both our sakes you _don't_ forget me," Jack said with a slight smile, handing her her shoulder bag, then he took her hand. "In case you need me," he said, scrawling a phone number down on her palm.

Abigail laughed. "Thanks, but I really don't want anything to do with this – the mayor being an alien, the city about to explode, or – or whatever – "

Jack shrugged. "Well, we've hopefully stopped the city exploding, but hold onto that number anyway."

"Why, what do you think is going to happen?" Abigail asked suspiciously.

Jack smiled. "Just hold onto my number. I get the feeling you'll need it."

"No idea what you're talking about, but fine," Abigail muttered, closing her fist. She turned and walked away from Jack, hoping to forget everything he'd told her.

xxx

"Carl?" Abigail flipped on the light switch in their apartment. She set his camera down on the table in the entryway. "I took your pictures! And made some extra cash! I can pay my rent this month, thought you'd be happy to hear that…" After leaving Jack Abigail had stopped at a pawn shop and sold the vase she'd stolen from City Hall. She had cash, and no harm done.

She wandered into the apartment. All the lights were off, which was unusual. Carl should have been home by now. "Where are you? Not still out with your nan? It's awfully late for her, isn't it?" Abigail flicked on light switches whenever she found them. "This is really immature, I thought you were above this sort of thing…"

Abigail pushed open the door to Carl's bedroom and gasped aloud. The purple diamond she'd tried to sell to Jack was on Carl's bed, but it was glowing and what appeared to be purple lightning was shooting out of it. Everything in the room was being blown around by a strong wind, though all the windows were closed. Abigail's hair whipped around her face as she struggled to close the door and finally succeeded. She collapsed to the floor, panting.

Carl was missing; there was no other excuse for reliable, constant Carl to be gone so long. And she was pretty sure it was connected to the glowing purple rock, which was one of the strangest things she'd ever been sure about. Jack had commented on the rock when he'd stated that it wasn't a diamond, calling it "no ordinary rock."

"You win, rock police," she muttered, pulling out her phone and dialing the number he'd written on her hand.

"Hello?" she heard his voice say.

"Jack Harkness?" she said through gritted teeth.

"Is that Abigail? That was quick. Didn't expect you to miss me so soon." He chuckled.

"This is serious, _Captain_. My roommate is missing and the purple rock is glowing and shooting lightning. Is this what you were talking about when you said I'd need you?"

There was a pause. "Yeah, that'd probably be it," Jack finally said.


End file.
